Combined shipping and dispensing carton for continuous bonding strip and insulated tubing therefor

ABSTRACT

A combined shipping and dispensing carton of continuous lengths of separately coiled bonding strip or strap and insulated tubing therefor. The two coils lie side by side in a one-piece carton having a cover flap extending along one end edge and selectively lockable in either of two closed positions. In one position the flap lies flush against the end edge of the carton and, in the other, it is arched away from the end edge to provide a carrying handgrip. The leading ends of the strip and tubing are held captive by the cover in each locked position thereof.

nited States atent [191 Thompson et a1.

[451 July 9,1974

1 1 COMBINED SHIPPING AND DISPENSING CARTON FOR CONTINUOUS BONDING STRIP AND INSULATED TUBING THEREFOR [76] Inventors: John T. Thompson, 244 Loring St.,

Los Angeles, Calif. 90024; George W. Gillemot, 2331 20th St., Santa Monica, Calif. 90405 22 Filed: May 30, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 257,693

[52] US. Cl. 206/391 [51] Int. Cl B6511 85/67 [58] Field of Search..... 229/45 P, 45 H, 45 R, 52 B,

229/52 A; 206/52 R, 59 C, 47 R 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,004,028 9/1911 Howe 206/59 C 1,112,062 9/1914 Gardmco 206/52 R Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sellers and Brace [5 7] ABSTRACT A combined shipping and dispensing carton of continuous lengths of separately coiled bonding strip or strap and insulated tubing therefor. The two coils lie side by side in a one-piece carton having a cover flap extending along one end edge and selectively lockable in either of two Closed positions. .In one position the flap lies flush against the end edge of the carton and, in the other, it is arched away from the end edge to provide a carrying handgrip. The leading ends of the strip and tubing are held captive by the cover in each locked position thereof.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures liiili COMBINED SHIPPING AND DISPENSING CARTON FOR CONTINUOUS BONDING STRIP AND INSULATED TUBING THEREFOR This invention relates to cartons, and more particularly to an improved eombination shipping and dispensing carton for a pair of coiled items normally used in combination and in different lengths.

Although the present carton has a general utility as a storage and dispensing device for a plurality of coils lying side by side, it is here illustrated for use in packaging and dispensing metal bonding strip or strap material and supple plastic tubing employed as a protective sheath for the bonding strip. As is well known by electricians, a bonding strip comprises heavy gauge material commonly employed to provide a grounding connection between cabling, electrical components, and the like, and a source of ground potential. In many applications it is desirable that the bonding strip be encased in an insulative sheath readily telescoped over the end of the strip after it has been cut to length for a particular installation. I-Ieretofore, each of these coils has been packaged separately and requires individual handling. Moreover, the packages heretofore provided for these components lack satisfactory and reliable means for holding the free ends of the stock captive when not being dispensed.

The foregoing and other shortcomings of prior packaging and handling containers for coiled material are avoided by the present invention which provides a simple, one-piece carton enclosing both reels of material in side by side relation along with provision for dispensing a length from either coil and for retaining the re.- mainder of the supply captive and protected until again needed. The dispensing slot for the stop on each reel is located near one end corner of the carton and a cooperating opening near the other end serves to hold the free end of each material captive between dispensing operations. The carton includes a cover flap extending across the dispensing end thereof including a locking tang at its free end which is selectively insertable in either of two keeper slots. When inserted in the first of these the cover lies flush against the end of the carton but when inserted in the second slot, the cover flap is arched away from the carton end wall and serves as a carrying handgrip. Desirably, the end portions of the material being dispensed is then arched upwardly to lie flush against the underside of the cover flap thereby I serving to support and reinforce the latter when used as a handgrip.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved combination package and dispensing carton for coiled material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a combination shipping and dispensing carton for coiled material having provision for holding the leading ends of the coiled material captive when not being dispensed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a combination shipping and dispensing carton formed in one piece from sheet stock.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention shipping and dispensing carton closed and ready for shipping;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale across the upper end of FIG. 1 showing a portion of one corner broken away and in cross section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken along line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 44 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 55 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the cover flap in its alternate locked position with its mid portion arched away from the adjacent end of the carton for use as a carrying handgrip;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7 -7 on FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the carton as blanked in one piece from sheet stock and indicating by dotted line the location of scores for fold lines.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 8, there is shown the carton 10 flattened as blanked from suitable stock, such as double faced corrugated paper, stiff fiber stock or the like. This blank is generally T-shaped and formed with score lines indicated by the various dotted lines to facilitate hinging and folding of the blank into its assembled configuration. The end tangs 30, 31, 32 fold so as to lie concealed within the interior of a thick but generally square carton having the configuration as shown in FIGS. 1-7. A long narrow flap 12 hinged to the main body of the carton along the score line 13 has multiple functions. When the parts are folded and secured together in any suitable manner with the gummed tapes 15 (FIG. 1), applied to secure tangs 30, 31, 32 in assembled position, score line 13 crosswise of cover flap l2'lies closely parallel to the right-hand end of score lines 14 and 16. Accordingly, cover flap 12 will be understood as foldable flush against the end edge of the carton between score lines 14 and 16.

Cover flap 12 is also scored crosswise of its free end as indicated at 17 to provide a locking tongue 18 notched at 19. This notch is designed to interlock with end edge 20 of a rectangular cutout 21 formed in the end edge of the main body of the carton and best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 8. A similar slot 22 near the other end dle.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 5 and 6 it will be understood that, prior to being sealed closed, separate coils of continuous bonding strap or bar 25 and of supple resilient insulative tubing 26 are placed in the carton in side by side relation. As here shown, tubing 26 is stored on a suitable inexpensive spool 27 to avoid any possibility of the convolutions of one coil becoming interspersed between the convolutions of the other. If desired, both coils may be stored on the same or separate spools but separated by a common partition between the two coils.

As initially shipped, the free ends 28 and 29 of the two coils of strip materials are inserted downwardly through slot 21 in the manner best shown in H0. 2. The portions of both strips between slots 22 and 24 are then held flush against the interior and wall of the carton beneath the closed cover fiap l2, tongue 18 of the latter being then inserted downwardly through the rectangular opening 24 so as to lie fiush against the interior surface of the carton in the manner best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When the user wishes to dispense a length of either or both of the bonding strip 25 and the tubing 26, he releases the locking tongue 18 of cover flap 12 and hinges the cover backwardly to expose the end portions of the two materials. The ends of these are then lifted from opening 21 and the required length of each is dispensed and severed. Thereafter, the free ends are inserted downwardly through opening 21 and cover flap 12 may then be closed so that tongue 18 extends into opening 21 alongside the inserted ends 28 and 29 of the strip or strap stock 25 and tubing 26. Notch 19 of the cover tongue interlocks with the end edge 20 of opening 21 leaving the main body of the cover flap arched upwardly away from the end wall of the carton in the manner best shown in H6. 6. Likewise, the adjacent portions of strap 25 and tubing 26 may be arched upwardly to lie flush against the inner surface of the cover flap, thereby providing a convenient and high-strength carrying handle for the carton.

While the particular combined shipping and dispensing carton for continuous bonding strap and insulated tubing therefor herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising: a coil of flat wound ductile metal bonding strap, a coil of collapsed flexible tubing of non-conductive material sized for telescopic assembly over said bonding strap when a length thereof is detached for use, material from each of said coils being dispensable independently of the other of said coils, a carton closely enclosing said coils to store the same therein in side by side relation, said carton having its parallel side walls interconnected along their perimeters by end walls extending along all edges of said side walls, one of said end walls having a plurality of narrow cutouts extending transversely thereacross with their ends terminating close to the edge of each of said side walls and spaced from one another along said one end wall and each having a length equal to or greater than the combined widths of said strap and tubing and one of which serves as a dispensing port for said bonding strap and said plastic tubing and at least another of which serves as a keeper into which the free ends of said bonding strap and said plastic tubing can be tucked when not being dispensed.

2. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means securely holding said side walls and said end walls of said carton closed and restricting the dispensing of said bonding strap and said plastic tubing to said dispensing port.

3. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said keeper and dispensing ports are adjacent respective opposite end corners of said carton.

4. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 3 characterized in the provision of relatively closely spaced apart keeper ports spaced remotely from said dispensing port.

5. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said carton includes a cover flap having one end attached to one wall thereof and disposed to close against said one end wall thereof provided with said cutouts, said flap having a keeper tang near the free end thereof adapted to extend into and to have a close fit with the edge of one of said cutouts.

6. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said one carton end wall has a cutout sized and positioned to seat and retain said keeper tang with said cover flap stored closely parallel to said one end wall.

7. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 6 characterized in that another of said cutouts is posi tioned to seat said keeper tang with the mid section of said cover arched outwardly away from said one end wall thereby to serve as a convenient handgrip for said carton.

8. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 6 characterized in that said keeper ports for said bonding strap and said plastic tubing are sized to seat the keeper tang for said cover with the mid portion of said cover and the underlying lengths of said bonding strap and said plastic tubing cooperating therewith to provide hand grip means for said carton and its contents. 

1. An article of manufacture comprising: a coil of flat wound ductile metal bonding strap, a coil of collapsed flexible tubing of non-conductive material sized for telescopic assembly over said bonding strap when a length thereof is detached for use, material from each of said coils being dispensable independently of the other of said coils, a carton closely enclosing said coils to store the same therein in side by side relation, said carton having its parallel side walls interconnected along their perimeters by end walls extending along all edges of said side walls, one of said end walls having a plurality of narrow cutouts extending transversely thereacross with their ends terminating close to the edge of each of said side walls and spaced from one another along said one end wall and each having a length equal to or greater than the combined widths of said strap and tubing and one of which serves as a dispensing port for said bonding strap and said plastic tubing and at least another of which serves as a keeper into which the free ends of said bonding strap and said plastic tubing can be tucked when not being dispensed.
 2. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means securely holding said side walls and said end walls of said carton closed and restricting the dispensing of said bonding strap and said plastic tubing to said dispensing port.
 3. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said keeper and dispensing ports are adjacent respective opposite end corners of said carton.
 4. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 3 characterized in the provision of relatively closely spaced apart keeper ports spaced remotely from said dispensing port.
 5. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said carton includes a cover flap having one end attached to one wall thereof and disposed to close against said one end wall thereof provided with said cutouts, said flap having a keeper tang near the free end thereof adapted to extend into and to have a close fit with the edge of one of said cutouts.
 6. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 5 charActerized in that said one carton end wall has a cutout sized and positioned to seat and retain said keeper tang with said cover flap stored closely parallel to said one end wall.
 7. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 6 characterized in that another of said cutouts is positioned to seat said keeper tang with the mid section of said cover arched outwardly away from said one end wall thereby to serve as a convenient handgrip for said carton.
 8. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 6 characterized in that said keeper ports for said bonding strap and said plastic tubing are sized to seat the keeper tang for said cover with the mid portion of said cover and the underlying lengths of said bonding strap and said plastic tubing cooperating therewith to provide hand grip means for said carton and its contents. 